1. Field of the Invention
Provided are a composition for target membrane protein depletion, including a dual binding molecule including a first binding domain and a second binding domain which interact with a driver membrane protein and a target membrane protein, respectively, a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment and prevention of cancer, including the same as an active ingredient, and a method of target membrane protein depletion using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Membrane proteins are attached to, or associated with the membrane of a cell or an organelle, and perform their own characteristic functions according to the position thereof. Investigation into the functions of membrane proteins relies predominately on the use of siRNA to interfere with the expression of proteins of interest. However, there is a limitation to studying the functions of membrane proteins by the interference of protein expression with siRNA.
A more advantageous approach to identifying the function of a membrane protein is to remove the protein after it is normally expressed and located in the membrane. For example, 58 different receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), known as cancer cell-related membrane proteins, share a fairly common structure. These RTK proteins form homodimers or heterodimers depending on the binding of ligands thereto, and participate in signaling pathways through interaction with various membrane or intracellular proteins, resulting in various actions including cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, survival, attachment, and metabolism. That is to say, a membrane protein performs its own function, for example, transduces signals from the extracellular matrix into the cytoplasm only after it is normally expressed and located in the membrane.
As described above, the functions of membrane proteins are investigated predominantly by use of siRNAs, but with a limitation imposed thereto, and since the characteristic functions of membrane proteins are greatly affected by their locations in the cell, it is preferred and required that membrane proteins be depleted after they are normally expressed and located in membranes. Particularly, a method of target membrane protein depletion can be universally employed like siRNA technology if it allows for deletion of target-specific proteins on a plasma membrane.
Therefore, a technique is needed for deleting normally expressed and located membrane proteins, including RTKs, which will be useful in the analysis of accurate membrane protein functions and the effective regulation of membrane proteins.